On moving forward

So my husband has finally decided to pursuit a career we can both agree on: being an officer (and maybe even a pilot!) in the Coast Guard. I am excited for him because he has been struggling for two years with the big picture of who he wants to be, and how it will reflect on us as a couple. Having grown up in an Army family, I am excited to follow his dreams and represent the country in a branch I know very little about. Of course, this all begs the question for me of what I will do when we move. I love kids, but I cannot imagine having a family this early in our lives. If I can make the most of these changes that are coming about at St. George's, then maybe I will have a good foothold to move up in the business end of something really inspiring in the non-profit sector. I have no problems with the business world in general, but I am learning more and more that I have a heart to help people who need an extra hand, and I think I am certainly capable of providing what they need to thrive.

What inspires me?

• The earth, and talking/encouraging others/learning about small differences everyone can make to make a big impact for ours and future generations.
• Reading books about people living in parts of the world that have managed to retain their cultural values, where people actually eat dinners together, grow their own food, and share in very special family traditions.
• Helping teenagers experience parts of society for the first time - watching the wheels turn, their world grow, and their hearts grow in new ways.
• People who seem unaffected by the pressures and preconceived notions the world has on their lives, what they're supposed to be and do, and what they will be able to contribute to make the world a better place.
• Music. Not from the audience, although that is a special experience. I am most inspired from sitting in the oboe section, creating music from a piece of paper that looks like gibberish to so many people. If you know what it's like to feel touched by a scene in a movie accompanied by great music, then you know only a tiny fraction of what it actually feels like to create music's magic moments and send that emotion moving out into the world.

I am also inspired by living my small life with my husband and our puppy. I have a small impact by working at a church nearby, and I try to take pleasure by living minimally, enjoying the tiny joys of everyday life. My life is nothing to be ashamed of, but I hope I can have the courage to take opportunities to do bigger things.

Okay, enough with this philosophical nonsense!